Sensor device

Abstract

A sensor device for monitoring bioelectric data from the thoracic region of a human body and/or for inducing stimulating signals to said region comprises a plurality of finger-like substrate portions of a flexible dielectric material. The substrate portions are releasably attachable to the thoracic region of a human body and the lateral spacing between the substrate portions is adjustable in accordance with the physiology of the body. A plurality of electrodes are provided on each substrate portion each having a respective lead connectable to an apparatus for inducing stimulating signals to, and/or receiving physiological signals from the electrodes. Indicia or other positioning elements are provided on at least one substrate portion for indicating the correct position of the assembly in use.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A sensor device for monitoring bioelectric data from a body comprising: a flexible dielectric substrate;   a plurality of substantially parallel finger-like projections formed integrally from the flexible substrate;   a plurality of sensors formed on and distributed along the length of each finger-like projection;   a flexible, electrically conductive network formed on each finger-like projection and respectively connecting each sensor to a terminal portion formed on the flexible substrate; positioning means for positioning the plurality of finger-like projections and therefore sensors on a body in predetermined positions, at a predetermined position on the body; wherein each finger-like projection is spaced laterally from the others of the plurality of finger-like projections by a laterally extending portion of the flexible substrate for adjusting the lateral distance between the substantially parallel finger-like projections by means of bending or folding the laterally extending portion when positioning the sensor device on a body in accordance with the positioning means.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1, wherein the sensors are screen-printed on the flexible dielectric substrate. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive network is screen printed on the flexible substrate. 
     
     
       4. The device of claim 2, wherein the sensors are pregelled using an adhesive hydrogel material. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 2, wherein the number of sensors is at least 65. 
     
     
       6. The device of claim 1, further comprising at least one extension bearing a respective sensor of the flexible substrate, and wherein the at least one extension is adapted for placement on one of the limbs of the body. 
     
     
       7. The device of claim 6, wherein the number of extensions is 4 and each extension is adapted for placement on a different limb on the body. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensors and the flexible conductive network are disposed on one side of the flexible substrate, and the other side of the substrate comprises a material adapted to attach the flexible substrate to the body. 
     
     
       9. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate is adapted for attachment to the anterior thorax of the body. 
     
     
       10. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate is adapted for attachment to the posterior thorax of the body. 
     
     
       11. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate is adapted for attachment to the anterior and the posterior thorax of the body and comprises at least 100 sensors in total. 
     
     
       12. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the finger-like projections is joined to each of the other finger-like projections on one end of each by a single section of the flexible substrate to produce a hand-like configuration, and wherein the terminal portion is formed on the single section of the substrate for adaption to connection with cardiac monitoring equipment. 
     
     
       13. The device of claim 1, wherein the positioning means comprises an indicium on each of the finger-like projections to guide in the positioning of the projections on the body. 
     
     
       14. The device of claim 1, wherein the positioning means comprises a first indicium on at least two of the finger-like projections to guide the positioning of the projections across the width of the body. 
     
     
       15. The device of claim 1, wherein the positioning means comprises a second indicium on at least two of the projections to guide in positioning the projections across the height of the body. 
     
     
       16. The device of claim 14, and wherein a second positioning means comprises a second indicium on at least two of the projections to guide in positioning the projections across the height of the body, whereby, when the device is positioned on the torso of the body, the finger-like projections are in a substantially parallel spaced apart relationship to one another. 
     
     
       17. The device of claim 13, wherein the indicium is in the form of printed indications of desired locations of the finger-like projections on the torso of the body. 
     
     
       18. The device of claim 13, wherein the indicium is in the form of printed lines to indicate the relative positioning of the finger-like projections along the length of the torso of the body.